Multiple Samsung Stratosphere problems after FF1 update

[Indy99]

There have been multiple posts on various issues users have found after the recent Stratopshere FF1 update.  Some were replys to older posts and some only touched on a single issue.  I wanted to consolodate into one thread, and hopefully get teh attention of Verizon to maybe reply here.

For reference, a lot has been discuss here --> https://community.verizonwireless.com/message/874446

Summary:  Verizon and Samsung have finally updated the Stratosphere almost 1 year after release.  This updated the phone from Android 2.3.5 to Android 2.3.6.  Going by filename, this is known as the FF1 update.   This update went live at the end of August 2012, and most users were upgraded before mid September 2012.

There were some noticable changes in this update:

-Lock screen has changed.  The puzzle piece and glass lock options have been removed.  New options have been added, such as facial recognition unlock.

-Call answering screen has changed, introducing the option to ignore call with a message.

-Camera now has digital zoom ability.

-Ability to uninstall the 2 games the phone comes with (Need for Speed and Lets Golf)

-Phone icon has changed ever so slightly

-Wifi icon now included up and down arrows to indicate data is being sent or recieved

-Wallpaper no longer "stretches" over multiple screens - ie, it no longer scrolls as you move from screen to screen

-The visual voicemail app has been improved (I have personally not used this feature)

-Callback number is now supported in text / picture messages

-Android core OS updated from 2.3.5 to 2.3.6 (both versions are still Gingerbread)

-Update to how the device deals with the end of scrolling.  It used to rubber-band bounce back, now it will just give a green bar and expand the bar as you scroll.  (I cannot fault Samsung for this change as this was at teh core of an Apple lawsuit and has been changed in newer versions of Android.)

-(I am sure there are more.  please list any others you may have noticed)

I have found some problems, and others have confirmed that this is (at least) somewhat widespread:

-The biggest problem is with wifi connectivity.  Upon an initial connection to wifi, everything works great.  After somewhere between 15minutes and 2 hours, problems start happening.  Its as if the wifi keeps hanging or reconnecting.  Download speeds (tested with the SpeedTest.com app) slow to about one third of normal.  Apps like Facebook that require a constant connection will just time out.

-It appears the signal strength for 3g and 4g connections is lower.  There are places where I used to get a 4g connection, and now I only get 3g.  Some palces I fall back to just 2g digital.

Another minor issue i found was with text messages.  When you reply to a message, it no longer automatically focuses the text in the input box.  You have to first click into the box to start typing.  Not a huge deal, but one more step to take over and over.  Minor annoyence.

At my house, I struggle to get a 3g or 4g signal.  I depend on wifi for my data connection.  So with the wifi connection problem introduced by teh FF1 update, my phone is somewhat useless to me now while at home.  Here are teh troubleshooting steps I have been through so far to attempt to fix the wifi problem:

-Complete factory reset on my phone.  (did not help)

-Pull battery and SIM card out of phone for 15 minutes.  (did not help)

-Went to a Verizon store.  The guy at the store was helpful, and said he also had a Stratosphere and was getting the same wifi problems after the update.  He said all he could do was to send me out a replacement phone. I got the replacement phone, and it had the same problems.

-I read in multiple palces that Android 2.3.6 has a bug within wifi and DHCP.  Apparently if you have a DHCP lease set to "forever", the phone will keep requesting a new address.  Setting the DHCP server on the router to something like 2 weeks, or using a static IP is supposed to solve this.  I have a NetGear N900 router, and I can not change teh DHCP lease time.  It appears, however, that my router is not sending out "forever" leases.  But just to make sure, I gave my phone a static IP.  (None of these steps made any difference).

The only thing that temporarily fixes the problem is a reboot of the phone.  This will again give you anywhere from 15min to 2 hours of good wifi use before problems start happening.

I have now had this update for over a week, and on 2 phones.  I still can't maintain a wifi connection for much longer than 15 minutes without problems starting up.

I am asking Verizon or Samsung to at least confirm this issue if possible.  Maybe there are newer revs of the Stratopshere hardware that don't have this problem.  Or there is something unique about my (and apparently others) situation.  But it seems like Verizon's current stance is to offer a repalcement phone (as currently all Stratospheres are within their 1 year manufacture warranty as the phone has not been ouy for quite 1 year yet).

I am asking for a workaround for this problem, or a true fix adressed by a new software update, or at least allow us to roll back to the original Andorid 2.3.5 software.

I have had my original Stratosphere for almost a year with no wifi problems - then get the FF1 update and have had nothing but problems on 2 different phones.

Thank you for your time.

[lschultz76]

Was just "tweeted" to boot the phone into safe mode for awhile to make sure an app isn't causing an issue. Will advise when I have answers.

[Indy99]

In my testing, I confirmed this problem exists after a factory reset with no additional apps installed.  But I had not tried safe mode.  Maybe this will uncover something.

Thanks

[lschultz76]

Honestly..if that's the case and it was still behaving this way before installing any apps, then there's no point to trying safe mode, in my opinion.  Unless I am misunderstanding all safe mode on an android does is disable the 3rd party apps temporarily.  The bloatware that came on our phones would still be there. Again, unless I am misunderstanding how safe mode works.

http://support.verizonwireless.com/clc/devices/knowledge_base.html?id=48177#disabling

[Dave-in-Decatur]

Thanks for the tip on uninstalling, of which I was not aware (nor is it documented in the rinky-dink announcement put out by Verizon at http://support.verizonwireless.com/pdf/system_update/statosphere.pdf). I have gleefully uninstalled Need for Speed Shift (one piece of it, anyway; some other 8KB piece can't be removed). Similarly, I could uninstall the 139KB Let's Golf, but some 132KB piece has no uninstall option.

FWIW, I find that I'm actually getting a more reliable data connection (though with a lot of 3G periods, and therefore far from the consistent 4G I should have) than before the update. I have no idea why.

That announcement document does speak of "Improved audio with turn-by-turn navigation." I haven't tried that yet. I wonder if it means that street names will now be pronounced correctly. There's a major thoroughfare called Briarcliff Road in my area. It is hysterical to hear the navigation lady turn this combination of two perfectly ordinary English words into "Bry - are - cleef Road."

[Dave-in-Decatur]

Thanks for starting a comprehensive thread on problems with this update. I want to add one more.

I have Bluetooth in my car (a 2004 model), and previously the phone has connected to it practically instantly when I start the car. Since the update, I have never been able to connect the phone to the car by Bluetooth. Several times the phone has made a standard notification sound at the moment it should be connecting to Bluetooth, though no notification appears. I have no idea what that could mean.The car's Bluetooth shows up as paired in the list of devices in Settings > Wireless & networks > Bluetooth settings. I haven't seen this widely reported as an update issue, but perhaps some others have experienced it too.

UPDATE: I finally did some testing, and found that the notification was to signal the extremely brief appearance of a dialog indicating that the car's Bluetooth was requesting a connection. Accepting that request let the phone connect with the car, and calls went to the car's sound system as they should. When I turned the car off and back on (just the electrical system; not wasting any gas on this!), the connection was established immediately, so apparently the acceptance only had to be done once. Nevertheless, it did have to be done, and the dialog notification disappears within seconds. I believe it would have been possible to go into Bluetooth settings and accept the connection request there if I missed the notification; but not seeing the notification, I might not know to do this.

One further observation: When I turned the phone's Bluetooth off and back on after a connection had been established, leaving the car on the whole time, the two did not reconnect. I believe that may be different from before the update, but I'm not really sure.

Message was updated by David Rensberger

[jgriscti]

Wanted to add my issues also, since I'm about to walk over to the Verizon store as soon as I get out of work and attempt to get some answers.

1. Gmail is no longer an option in the stock E-mail application.

2. Mail constantly cannot connect to the server (problem only started after the update)

3. Two minutes ago, I went to check my e-mail and discovered that 2 of my 4 accounts were automatically deleted. I've had to set them up no less than 6 times over the weekend, I am NOT doing it again.

4. Even with Callback number featured turned off, callback number still appear on all of my contact's text messages. This feature is highly annoying and it clutters up my message inbox with a thousand little blue links to phone numbers I have already stored in my phone.

5. Multiscreen wallpaper not supported? Why not? And, when my phone is oriented in the landscape position with the QWERTY keyboard opened, the wallpaper does not stretch to fit the screen, instead there are black bars on either side of it. It looks ridiculous.

6. I just purchased a brand new battery for the phone (roughly a week before this 2.3.6 debacle). And now my battery is back to only lasting for 6 hours, even with GPS and Mobile Data turned off and screen brightness at 10% (lowest it can go) and zero apps running in the background.

7. Everytime I open an app, I get a reminder asking me if I want to connect using wifi. I haven't checks the notify me about available wi-fi connections box in the Wi-Fi settings (for the most part, I run my phone off the Mobile Data connection).

I want 2.3.5 back. I miss my silly puzzle pieces.

[Indy99]

I have not had any problems using the stock email app with my Gmail account.  Not sure why that wouldnt be showing for you.

I have also noticed the callback problem.  I immediately turned this off when I saw my sent messages were being sent with it, but noticed I now see everyone else who sends me a message their CB #.  Another annoyance.

[gbl110]

I too am experiencing all of the problems indy99 states AND I have one to add.  I often use the voice option to text.  Prior to the upgrade it worked fairly well, since the upgrade it connects about 20% of the time and when it does it is extremely slow.

I also am having a hard time connecting to my mail server.  VERIZON, PLEASE FIX THIS MESS!!!!!  YOU HAVE SOME VERY FRUSTRATED CUSTOMERS!!!!!

[tashi]

Thanks for the comprehensive and consolidated post.  Our replacement phones should be here soon, but I'm not expecting them to behave any differently from the 2 phones we have now.  I think it's fairly obvious to everyone (except apparently Verizon) that the issue is with the update.  The only thing I'd add to your list of problems is that the constant searching for a connection issue is having the side effect of severely reducing the battery life.  I used to get nearly 2 days out of a charge, and now I have to keep my wi-fi turned off if I want to get more than 7-8 hours.  I don't know if it's Samsung or Verizon covering the costs of all of these replacement phones, but maybe once they've sent out enough of them, they'll start thinking about finding a solution to this problem.